Wine was successfully produced in the laboratory from cheese whey. The method used involves the deproteinization of either sweet (cheddar cheese) whey or acid (cottage cheese) whey by heat or ultrafiltration, the addition of sulfur dioxide to stabilize the whey by Kruyveromyces fragilis. Since the lactose will yield only 2% or 3% alcohol, it is necessary to add dextrose and to ferment it with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to increase the alcohol content of whey wine. Yeast nutrients such as nitrogen and addition of B-vitamins were found to be unnecessary for whey wine fermentation, as the whey itself contains sufficient nutrients for yeast growth. At least two rackings are necessary before the wine is fined with bentonite. Whey wine is filtered before bottling, and pasteurization is required for a sweetened whey wine, unless an aseptic method is used. Results are quite encouraging. The whey wine was acceptable to a great majority of tasters, who preferred it slightly sweet. Blends of whey wine with fruit and berry wines were also liked. Whey wine with flavoring materials such as citrus and cola also showed promising results.

"Grant no. 803301." Includes bibliographical references (page 17).